$$ Bonus Babies $$

In the last decade or so of the MLB Draft, we have seen an steady increase in the amount of money First Round Draft Picks are receiving. With the recent signing of the Washington Nationals pitcher, Stephen Strasburg, the era of high signing bonuses has now been taken to even greater heights. Agreeing to a $15.1 million dollar deal, Strasburg has set the record for the highest paid signing bonus in history. In other recent years, the following players signed as the #1 pick:

1987 Ken Griffey Jr. $160,000
1988 Andy Benes $235,000
1989 Ben McDonald $350,000
1990 Chipper Jones $275,000
1991 Brien Taylor $1,550,000
1992 Phil Nevin $700,000
1993 Alex Rodriguez $1,000,000
1994 Paul Wilson $1,550,000
1995 Darin Erstad $1,575,000
1996 Kris Benson $2,000,000
1997 Matt Anderson $2,505,000
1998 Pat Burrell $3,150,000
1999 Josh Hamilton $3,960,000
2000 Adrian Gonzalez $3,000,000
2001 Joe Mauer $5,150,000
2002 Bryan Bullington $4,000,000
2003 Delmon Young $3,700,000
2004 Matt Bush $3,150,000
2005 Justin Upton $6,100,000
2006 Luke Hochevar $3,500,000
2007 David Price $5,600,000
2008 Timothy Beckham $6,150,000
2009 Stephen Strasburg $15,100,000

Now it is clearly seen that over the course of the years, signing bonuses have risen and some of the players have obviously made great careers for themselves but others we haven't heard much about, if ever again, since they're signings!

I believe we have become so desensitized to reading these figures. Do you realize this is MILLIONS of dollars these players are getting paid just to sign a contract? There is no guarantee that these players will ever amount to a great ball player, it is pure speculation. Obviously my stance is that signing bonuses and players now aday are far too overpaid. Granted, if I was the one receiving the money I wouldn't complain, but what ever happened to play for the love of the game? I realize this industry is a business, I witnessed that first hand, but with guys holding out for large sums of money b/c they have some smooth talking agent, it sickens me to see that the game which was once played for the LOVE of the game is now all about the money. It is about the image. It is no wonder we see guys who are just pretty boys and afraid to get dirty, or are more concerned about their "style" in front of the crowd and tv camera than how they perform!

In my opinion, no player is worth this kind of money. College players may be a bit more deserving b/c they're polished and have proven themselves more so than a High School "stud" has, but regardless these millions of dollars being paid out to these guys before they've even stepped foot onto a Major League Field and competed against some of the best players in the world, that's ridiculous. The MLB and organizations need to do a better job at being firm and getting these bonuses more realistic. A simple "take it or leave it" approach would be great to see! Implying hey, we drafted you because we want you, but if you don't sign we will be fine with out you! Now that Strasburg has received $15 million dollars, this number resignates in player's minds for years to come. They will say, "well he got this, so I should too".

I have personally played with and against these "bonus babies". The ones you read about in Baseball America magazines and see posted all over the internet and talked about on tv. From my first hand experience, many of these guys are NO better than many other guys in the minor leagues. Once you reach the minor leagues, it should be about everyone being on the same "playing field" but b/c these individuals had more hype around them, they get special attention and more of a chance than others. I'm not bitter at all about my experience, I'm just stating the facts from being on the inside and seeing the politics! You may be surprised at the talent of some of these big bonus guys compared to someone who was maybe picked in the 20th round. Trust me, it is not much different! There could be many reasons for this and I'm convinced that by growing up in a baseball heaven area such as California or Florida, that this instantly comes with higher recognition and being put on the radar screen. But the truth of the matter is, guys from any area of the country can compete with these guys and just b/c they didnt grow up in the spotlight or mommy and daddy didnt have a lot of money or connections with people high up, doesnt mean they wouldn't deserve the same attention if they lived in a different area or circumstances changed.

The moral of my point here is that without having any solid proof that these players are worth spending millions of dollars on just to sign a contract, signing bonuses have gotten out of hand. No player is worth that much money just by being a stud player in High School or College. Baseball has become more of a business and about the money and glitz and glamour than simply playing it for pure love of the game...